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ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 1001

Communications Technologies/Technicians: is this associate's degree worth it?

National picture across 4 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$249,832 over 10 years

National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

—Modeled economic break-even

−209%Modeled 10-year ROI

$31,998Observed earnings · year 4

Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$31,998Median reported earnings · year 4

$31,804Average reported earnings · year 5

$12,750Median federal debt

4thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

4Reporting programs

4With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $35,844
Federal debt: $24,653
Reporting programs: 2

1 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $31,998
Federal debt: $12,750
Reporting programs: 4

4 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $39,273
Federal debt: $20,500
Reporting programs: 5

5 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$26,827National median$31,99875th percentile$34,208

4 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Pellissippi State Community College$40,105 2Ozarks Technical Community College$34,208 3Allegany College of Maryland$29,787 4Full Sail University$26,827

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Broadcast TechniciansSOC 27-4012 · 1 crosswalk linksFilm and Video EditorsSOC 27-4032 · 1 crosswalk linksMedia and Communication Workers, All OtherSOC 27-3099 · 1 crosswalk linksSound Engineering TechniciansSOC 27-4014 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	10-year ROI	Verdict
1	Pellissippi State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree	Knoxville, TN	$40,105	$6,000	-149%	Negative payoff
2	Ozarks Technical Community CollegeAssociate's Degree	Springfield, MO	$34,208	Not available	-204%	Negative payoff
3	Allegany College of MarylandAssociate's Degree	Cumberland, MD	$29,787	Not available	-241%	Negative payoff
4	Full Sail UniversityAssociate's Degree	Winter Park, FL	$26,827	$19,500	-208%	Negative payoff

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.